


I Go Off To Work On Monday Morning

by mercurys_loverboy (FandomStar)



Series: Freddie and Arthel ~ "Canon" [6]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Friendship, Interviews, M/M, Music Store, Roger Taylor (Queen) Being an Idiot, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 13:08:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19151653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomStar/pseuds/mercurys_loverboy
Summary: Arthel has a job interview. Freddie tries to help, Roger is supportive (even if Ell doesn't want him to be), and Arthel's new boss is pretty cool.





	I Go Off To Work On Monday Morning

**Author's Note:**

> Set in August 1977. I introduce a pretty significant character in this, and it's pretty obvious who it is!  
> Anyway, not as much Freddie as usual, but we'll definitely be getting to him next!

Arthel woke up on Monday morning with an arm around him and lips caressing the side of his face. Groggily, he opened his eyes and saw Freddie curled into his side.

"Good morning." Freddie said, smiling.

"Morning, Fred." Arthel replied, sleepily.

Freddie gently brushed a knuckle against Arthel's cheek.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Mmm," Arthel murmured in agreement. "Don't see why you had to wake me up so early, though."

Fondly, Freddie smiled at his partner.

"You have a job interview, darling, at ten thirty," he gently reminded Arthel. "You seemed quite confident about it when you told me."

Smiling, Arthel stretched.

"Mm, I am. Don't know why, I just have a good feeling about it," he said, sitting up. "I just hate how early I have to get ready!"

Freddie laughed as he propped himself on his elbows, watching as Arthel stood up to go through the clothes he'd started keeping at Freddie's flat. 

"Feel free t look through my wardrobe, dear." Freddie casually offered.

Dropping a black The Who t-shirt on the bed with a pair of jeans, Arthel leaned forward on the bed.

"Thanks, Fred, but it's not very useful," he replied. "We're not really the same size, to start. And I'm not really going for the flamboyant rock star thing, no offense."

"None taken, my dear, it isn't for everyone!" Freddie called as Arthel took his clothes into the bathroom attached to the bedroom. 

When Arthel re-emerged, Freddie had dressed into flared trousers and a floral patterned silk shirt.

"What do you think?" Arthel asked. "Do I give off enough music fan vibes?"

Carefully, Freddie looked him over whilst holding his upper arms.

"Wait one second," he said, wandering over to a dresser and coming back with three bulky rings. "Accessories. If you'll let me?"

Freddie didn't move, giving Arthel time to consider. 

"Alright, but only because I trust your fashion judgement and I need to make a good impression." Arthel hesitantly agreed, extending his hands.

Gently, Freddie slid the rings onto both of Arthel's middle fingers and his left index finger, before pulling a belt from a drawer and giving it to him to put on. Once he'd done so, he gave Freddie a questioning look. Freddie's response was to pull him over to the full-length mirror. Arthel grinned.

"I look good." he whispered.

"You really do." Freddie agreed, pressing his lips to Arthel's hair.

Turning around, Arthel kissed Freddie and stroked a hand through his long, soft hair.

"I love you, Freddie." he told his boyfriend.

"I love you, too, dear." Freddie quietly replied.

"I have to go," Arthel sighed, before smiling. "I'll call you later."

"Good luck, Arthel."

* * *

Arthel arrived at the record store with fifteen minutes to spare. Seeing that nobody was in the main shop, he decided to occupy himself by going through the music that was set out. 

"Oh, hi!" a woman's voice greeted. "You're early."

When Arthel looked over at the counter, he saw a tall, dark-skinned woman wearing a leather jacket. He went over to her.

"Yeah, I know. I thought I was going to be late but... here I am." he replied, chuckling nervously.

The woman smiled at him.

"No worries," she assured him, beckoning him over. "Come out back with me, I've just finished setting up."

Arthel followed the, presumed, shop owner (Charlotte Patterson, if he remembered rightly) through the door behind the counter. 

"Coffee?" she offered. 

"No, thank you." Arthel declined, taking a seat.

"Now, the documents you gave ahead of today say one thing, but, even in the few minutes I've known you, I can tell that you say another," Charlotte said, sitting in the chair next to Arthel, as Arthel tensed. "I just want to know what you want me to put your name as. It'd be hypocritical of me to judge, so you're safe."

Arthel stared at her in disbelief and amazement.

"Sorry, I've just always had to ask employers to change my name myself," he told her, apologetically. "Arthel Jenkins."

"It's great to meet you, Arthel. I'm Charlotte Patterson, as you've probably guessed," Charlotte replied, introducing herself properly as she scribbled on a piece of paper. "So, what sort of experience do you have with music?"

"Well, I grew up around a lot of different music genres, thanks to my parents loving a lot of different styles. When I started expressing myself, I taught myself guitar and started taking singing more seriously," Arthel told her. "I do gigs when I can, and I've made a few musician friends, one of whom is teaching me electric guitar. I have some connections through those friends. Probably. I've never used used them if I have."

That was a white lie. He knew he had connections. Big ones.

The rest of the interview was just a chat about music, really.

"Well, if you want it, the job's yours," Charlotte announced. "It probably would have been from the start, because I know how hard it is to find good jobs for people like us, but now I know how passionate you are about music, it's definitely yours!"

Giddily, Arthel laughed.

"Seriously?" he asked, getting a nod in response, before exclaiming with a grin, "That's probably the easiest job I've ever got!"

Charlotte gave him a returning smile.

"I can imagine!" she replied. "Well, if we're going to be working together, please call me Lottie." Arthel nodded, still grinning, and Charlotte continued. "Come on, I'll show you out."

Arthel followed Lottie out into the shop, but stopped when he got to the counter. Rifling through a box of records was a man with a familiar head of long blond hair. At the sight of him, Arthel groaned. 

"Well, this is mortifying." he muttered.

Lottie glanced at him. 

"You want him out?" she asked. "I can get him out."

"Nah, it's fine. Just a bit embarrassing," Arthel replied. "Thanks, though."

He walked over and stopped opposite Roger Taylor, who looked up and grinned at him.

"Hey, Ell!" Roger greeted, cheerfully.

Exasperated, Arthel raised his eyebrows at his former friend.

"Fred sent you, didn't he?" he asked.

"Well, how else would I have known where you were? It's not like you told anyone else," Roger replied, mockingly irritated. "Besides, we both figures you'd be more likely to kill Freddie than me if one of us came to escort you back to your flat."

"That's tire, I guess," Arthel agreed, shrugging with the beginnings of a smirk. "Doesn't mean I don't want to kill you, though."

Roger shrugged good-naturedly. Suddenly, a scoff came from the shop counter, causing both men to turn their heads.

"'Some connections'? You're really downplaying these guys you know, huh?" Lottie said.

Arthel laughed.

"Right, yeah, sorry. I didn't want to be hired just because I know people," he explained, before introducing her to Roger. "Rog, this is my new boss, Charlotte Patterson."

"Lovely to meet you," Roger said to Lottie, stepping forward to shake her hand, as he told her, "You have a bloody marvellous place here. No wonder Ell wanted to keep it to himself!"

Looking a little shocked, Lottie smiled.

"Thanks." she said, seeming to glow with pride.

"C'mon, we should go," Arthel told Roger, touching his friend's shoulder as he passed. "Thanks for your time, Lottie! Start next week, yeah?"

"That's right. See you in a week!" Lottie agreed, waving as the two men left the shop.

When they got onto the street, Roger gave Arthel a friendly shove.

"Well done on the job, mate!" he congratulated the smaller man.

"Thanks. And I got it before you showed up!" Arthel replied, smirking.

Roger laughed, clapping a hand on Arthel's shoulder and letting it rest there.

"I swear, that was mostly Freddie's idea!" he insisted, pointing a finger at him.

"I don't doubt it." Arthel assured him.

"Speaking of Freddie Mercury, don't expect to hear from him for at least two days," Roger warned him. "When I left, he'd started writing."

Leading Roger around a corner, Arthel scoffed.

"Typical," he lightly tutted, before stopping at a door. "Well, here we are."

"Wow. Really is just 'round the corner!" Roger remarked. 

Arthel laughed, before gesturing to the open door.

"Do you want to come in?" he suggested.

"Are you sure?" Roger asked.

"Rog, it's me! Of course I'm sure," Arthel insisted. "Join me for lunch if you've got nothing better to do."

"Well... alright, if you're sure I'm not intruding," Roger agreed, following Arthel inside. "I won't stay too long, though."

**Author's Note:**

> So, my next work is possibly going to be a bit NSFW but not really, because I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be doing full-blown NSFW! I just feel like I should kind of explain the sexual aspect of Freddie and Arthel's relationship.  
> Anyway! I hope you enjoyed this!  
> The title of this work is taken from the Queen song Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon.


End file.
